Aviation Skills Partnership to open Cranfield Academy

Aviation Skills Partnership (ASP) and Cranfield University have announced plans for a new academy to meet the continued skill shortage within the aviation and aerospace industry.

The organisations say that with the number of aircraft in service set to double by 2030 and airport expansion plans, the requirement for skilled people to support the industry is pressing and immediate.

The International Aviation Academy will be based at Cranfield Airport and the collaboration aims to inspire people to develop their careers in the sector and connect them with job opportunities in this high-technology industry.

The Academy will offer joint activities throughout ASP’s Pathways into Aviation, delivered by experts at the Cranfield campus. It also aims to make people more aware of the careers available and then develop the academic, practical and soft skills required through study and training programmes, enabling employers of all sizes to develop a structured approach to their talent pipeline.

ASP say that the collaboration will explore joint activities to be delivered via a planned partnership and will be aimed at creating a skilled and motivated workforce.

The initiatives will include industry based activities at the growing campus at the only University based at an airport with exciting growth plans already announced.

They will also enable people to be more aware of the careers available and then develop the academic, practical/industry and soft skills required through study and training programmes.

It also allows employers of all sizes and nations to develop a structured approach to their talent pipeline
Professor Iain Gray, Director of Aerospace at Cranfield University said: “Cranfield has a long history in the development of future leaders in aerospace and aviation across the globe and has unique facilities to support research and teaching in these sectors.

We are delighted to be announcing these plans with the Aviation Skills Partnership, building opportunities to foster innovation and helping to develop the next generation of leaders in the aviation sector.”
Sir Christopher Coville KCB, Chairman of the ASP Strategy Board added: “I am immensely proud that we are able to announce our plans to bring an Academy to this world-class University on a historic RAF base.

“As a nation, we need to respond to the massive demand for aviation specialists and we are delighted to be collaborating further with Cranfield University, enabling us to deepen our links on a wide range of programmes that will help young people achieve their dream of a career in aviation and in this excellent industry. We hope, through this collaboration, to also expand further the range of training offered via the International Aviation and Aerospace Academies that we are developing in the UK and overseas.”

Meantime, Cranfield University has also opened a new aviation technology hub. The hub is a partnership between Cranfield University and Barclays, establishing the first Eagle Lab dedicated to aviation technology, or ‘avtech’, based on the University’s campus.

The hub offers a co-working space for ambitious entrepreneurs to scale and grow, and features facilities to support rapid prototyping, product development and specialised avtech equipment.

The Eagle Lab is the first step in the University’s aviation, innovation and entrepreneurship project which will create unique specialist enterprise facilities and programmes at Cranfield University to support start-ups and SMEs, particularly those with high-growth potential.

Author: FTN Editor

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